LEXINGTON, KY – The University of Kentucky and head coach Mark Stoops’ 2013-14 season kicked off last Saturday night in Nashville, Tennessee. Despite all the preseason hoopla, the Wildcats lost a heart-breaker to in-state foe Western Kentucky and new head coach Bobby Petrino. Will the Wildcats turn it around after the first loss?
A well coached Petrino team handed first-year coach Mark Stoops the loss after being favored by 4 1/2 points. The Football Cats are coming off a disappointing 2-10 record last season and Coach Stoops is looking to not only improve from last year but also bring in a new attitude to a program that has long been overshadowed by the school’s basketball success.
Stoops and his staff have created quite the buzz not only around the commonwealth but across the nation by signing highly talented recruits from Kentucky and beyond. There’s a real sense that recruits now want to play football at Kentucky, and Stoops has captured the best recruiting class to date in the history of the program.
A Wildcat program once filled with 2-star and a few 3-star recruits is now being replaced with more and more 4-star athletes. Stoops’ ability to recruit, along with the new offense he brings with him, will help build a strong program and make the university’s decision to upgrade facilities a no-brainer. New amenities, combined with solid recruiting classes, will catch the attention of future recruits.
The buzz surround the future of Wildcat Football has already put in plans for a facelift for Commonwealth Stadium. In addition to the style of football Kentucky brings, the teams Stoops will put on the turf while competing in the best conference in the NCAA will undoubtedly aid the staff in capturing more 4- and 5-star recruits.
That being said, coach Stoops and his staff face a first year test that will be tremendously tough, even so for a program without one of the nation’s toughest schedules.
A weak secondary and a wide receiving core that combined caught zero touchdowns last season are the two biggest weaknesses Kentucky will have exploited by opponents this season. Stoops hopes that returning players and junior college transfer DB Nate Willis will help try to fill some of those holes on a sluggish defense that was apparent to every fan and opponent last season.
Quarterback Jalen Whitlow looks to be the season starter but Maxwell Smith is hot on his heels at backup. Whitlow shined during the spring game and is a very mobile quarterback. Whitlow improved tremendously from last year and his confidence and accuracy fit perfectly in Neal Brown’s offense. However, he is a bit prone to injury with the hard-hitting defenses of the Southeastern Conference. Whitlow will need to protect himself instead of taking the big hit and learn to slide or step out of bounds.
If injured veteran Maxwell Smith will step in, his SEC experience and strong arm will make him more than capable of running Brown’s offense. Smith lacks Whitlow’s elusiveness, but his upside is more experience.
On the defensive side of the pigskin, Kentucky has two great defensive ends with junior college transfer Za’Darius Smith and Alvin “Bud” Dupree. Kentucky’s starting defensive line is SEC worthy but depth is the key in this conference, especially with the quick pace of Brown’s offense. The linebacker core is mediocre but coaches and the new weight training program have helped returning players improve from last year’s campaign. Again, the biggest question and weakness on that side of the ball is Kentucky’s secondary.
The front four will need to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks to take the pressure off its secondary. If not, it could be a long year for the Cats and their fans.
After a 2-10 record last year and with one of the toughest schedules in the nation, Kentucky’s 2013-14 record will not reflect Stoops’ coaching or his recruiting. Stoops inherited a Joker Phillips team and fans shouldn’t get down if Kentucky only wins three or four games this season. The season has a four-game gauntlet with four top ten teams in a row. We shall see how our Cats respond.
Nothing is for sure and fans shouldn’t be surprised if Kentucky loses to anyone on the schedule. No matter how many wins Kentucky piles up this year, look for a better coached team than what we have seen with more discipline and points on the board. Kentucky may be in many shootouts this year and the defense will be key to this season’s outcome.
No matter how the season turns out, Mark Stoops and staff have a top 15 recruiting class coming in next year and could possibly get even better with key recruits who have yet to decide their paths. Stoops has stolen recruits from Louisville, South Carolina and the “Old Ball Coach”, gained some of the best players in Ohio (Michael Horton and Tyler Snodgrass), plus many others who hail from states that produce plenty of Division I players and also the number one athlete with Stanley “Boom” Williams out of Georgia. If Matt Elam (offensive tackle from Kentucky – a 4- or 5-star recruit) chooses Kentucky over Alabama, the future of Kentucky football looks bright.
Hold on to your tickets, Cats fans. This season may not be the best we see at Commonwealth, but it sure will be a good one to watch.
Filed under: Football, Kentucky Wildcats Tagged: BBN, Big Blue Nation, Bobby Petrino, College Football, Commonwealth Stadium, Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, Mark Stoops, Neal Brown, SEC, Southeastern Conference, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, Yahtzee!
